Battling Lynn-Avon Bow To Experience Of Metro by Jeremy Ruane

Bluebird Premier League leaders Feltonmix Metro were comfortable 3-0 winners against Hutt Valley Cartage Lynn-Avon United at Ken Maunder Park on July 5, with the visitors failing to kick on after wracking up that scoreline inside the first forty-five minutes.
There was only one team in it in the first half, as the experienced Metro combination knocked the ball around at the expense of their younger opponents, who eventually succumbed to the pressure exerted on them in the eighteenth minute.
By this time, Nigel Curties had unleashed two efforts on goal, the second of which was superbly saved by Richard Flatman, who turned the midfielder's shot around the post at full stretch.
The 'keeper had no answer to Neil Harlock's twenty-yard drive however, the ball arrowing into the corner of the net after some tidy approach work by the league leaders, who doubled their advantage ninety seconds later through Steve Nickson, who battered the ball home from the edge of the area to cap off a quick Metro counter-attack.
2-0 up, and with Metro in dominant mood, the match looked to be over as a contest already. Nickson was denied a headed goal on the half-hour, referee Derek Rugg perfectly placed to declare the striker offside as Harlock's corner swung towards the far post.
It was through another Harlock corner in the 36th minute that Metro netted their third goal of the afternoon. Lynn-Avon failed to clear the sphere, and John Van Dort crowned another impressive Metro attack in fine style with an acrobatic volley from close range.
Harlock, relishing the opportunity to play again after enduring six months with his leg in plaster after breaking it in unfortunate circumstances for Woolongong City last November, released Nickson just before the interval with a delightfully weighted pass. It was matched by the striker's control, and his subsequent dismissal of three challenges. Flatman was again at full stretch to save. The first twenty minutes after the break usually see Metro at their most menacing. That wasn't the case on this occasion, however, due, perhaps, to the fact that their 3-0 half-time lead had been achieved with plenty in reserve. Nonetheless, they started the spell in good touch, with Carl Jorgensen and Nickson both going close before five minutes had elapsed, the latter twice being denied by Flatman.
The 'keeper then denied Danny McHenery, after Curties and Willie Thompson had combined on the right. Thompson then dropped a teasing through ball out of the sun to deceive Greg Clark. Nickson was standing in his shadow, but failed to make the most of this opportunity, his lob of Flatman clearing the bar.
After Nickson had hit the crossbar from a seemingly impossible angle in the 63rd minute, Metro eased off the accelerator noticeably, allowing Lynn-Avon to enjoy a far greater share of proceedings than had been allowed them to this point. Some of their play had, at times, looked accomplished, debutant James Pritchett in particular enjoying a solid game, along with Michael Imre, who again stood out in defence.
But the visitors were playing well within themselves, this despite the efforts of Jorgensen, in particular, to snap them out of their lethargy. A surging 73rd minute run by him paved the way for Nickson and McHenery to link up, only for Pritchett to save the day for Lynn-Avon with a fine recovering tackle.
Grant Schofield had barely seen the ball all game, but come the last five minutes, he made its acquaintance on three occasions. The first of these sent Nickson haring off in pursuit of a long clearance, and the Bluebird Premier League Golden Boot frontrunner knows full well that he should have produced a far better finish than that which endangered the shrubbery behind Flatman's goal.
At the other end of the park, the former All White goalkeeper had to use all his agility to keep Lynn-Avon scoreless in the final five minutes. His first save was made at full stretch to prevent a Pritchett cross from reaching Mark Elrick, who was arriving at pace on the far post. And in stoppage time, a clever angled chip by Marco Ermerins almost caught out the out-of-position goalkeeper, who recovered his bearings in fine fashion.
In between times, a delightful jinking run by Jason Thompson almost secured the Metro player a goal against his old club, but his chip of Flatman cleared the bar as well. The visitors, however, had plenty in hand over their opponents on this occasion, a far cry from last season's corresponding fixture, which saw Lynn-Avon 2-1 to the good.
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